How to Change the Photo on Your Pakistani Passport: New Passport, Fresh Fee

Short answer: You cannot swap the photo in a Pakistani passport. DGI&P says a new passport is issued under the policy, you pay the fresh fee, and your old passport is cancelled. You can apply before the old one expires. On the fee table we read, a 36-page e-Passport for five years costs Rs 9,000 normal.

A photo taken ten years ago, a new beard, a face that has changed after illness: all are common reasons to want a new picture. Some people hope for a quick sticker or a page swap at the counter. That does not exist.

We read the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P) FAQ and its ordinary passport page on 14 October 2026. The answer is short, and the cost is the part people ask about.

DGI&P replaces the whole passport, not the photo

DGI&P's FAQ says that to change the photograph on a machine-readable passport, a new passport is issued under the policy. You pay the applicable fresh fee, and your previous passport is cancelled. There is no photo-only change.

This differs from a name or date of birth change. For those, DGI&P asks you to revise your CNIC first and then apply for a passport with the new details. Our guide to changing your name or date of birth on a passport covers that route.

The FAQ names the machine-readable passport. We could not find a separate line for the e-Passport, but the same ordinary passport page says a new passport can be issued before expiry, so the new-passport route is the working path.

You can apply before the old passport expires

DGI&P says there is no restriction on renewing a passport before its expiry. A passport with full 5 or 10 year validity can be issued even if the old one has not run out, and the office may ask for a short statement giving the reason.

So the reason you write is simple: the photograph no longer looks like you. The existing passport is returned to you after the office takes action, which DGI&P says means it is dealt with by the office.

For the full rule, read about renewing a Pakistani passport before it expires.

What the fresh fee means in rupees

On the DGI&P e-Passport fee table, a 36-page passport for five years costs Rs 9,000 normal and Rs 15,000 urgent. For ten years it is Rs 13,500 normal and Rs 22,500 urgent. A 72-page passport for five years costs Rs 16,500 normal and Rs 27,000 urgent.

DGI&P adds that executive passport offices and processing counters charge an extra NADRA service fee, paid separately. Fast Track is not available for the e-Passport, according to the same page. Check our note on official passport fees before you pay, because fee tables change.

Follow these steps to get a new photo

Apply at a passport office as for a renewal. DGI&P's process flow says your photograph is captured at the customer service counter, followed by a token, fingerprints, data entry, an interview and fee payment by QR code. So the new picture is taken there.

1. Pick your validity, 5 or 10 years, and the page count that suits your travel.
2. Bring your original CNIC or NICOP, your old passport and photocopies of both.
3. Write a short statement that your photograph needs to change, if the office asks for one.
4. Look the way you normally do on the day, because the office takes the new photo at the counter.
5. Pay the fee by QR code, then keep your receipt and tracking details.

Before you go, check the hours in the guide to passport office timings. The counter flow is explained in how a passport application works counter by counter.

If your name has changed or is long, also read the e-Passport name rules, because first names are limited to 50 characters and last names to 40.

Check these points before you pay

Confirm three things at the counter: the validity you want, the page count, and whether urgent or normal service suits your travel date. A photo change is a full new passport, so it follows the normal timeline of 21 working days or the urgent one of 5, according to the DGI&P table.

Do not hand money to anyone outside the office who offers a quick photo swap. DGI&P lists a fee schedule, a QR payment, and no side service for this. If someone offers a shortcut, walk away and use the DGI&P complaint routes.

Common questions

Can I just change the photograph on my passport?

No. DGI&P says a new passport is issued, a fresh fee is paid and the old passport is cancelled.

Do I have to wait for my passport to expire?

No. DGI&P says there is no restriction on renewing before expiry, though you may be asked for a short statement of the reason.

Will I get a ten year passport again?

You can choose 5 or 10 years. Children under 15 get five years only, according to DGI&P.

Can I use my own photo?

DGI&P's process flow says the photograph is captured at the counter. We did not find a rule on bringing your own picture.

Does my old passport come back to me?

DGI&P says the existing passport is returned to the applicant after the office takes action, but it is cancelled.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked on 14 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read DGI&P's FAQ and its ordinary passport page. The FAQ speaks of the machine-readable passport, and fees on the page may change after the 15 October switch to e-Passports. We did not apply ourselves, so confirm the fee and any photo rules with your regional office.